Hockey teams named to defend crowns

HOCKEY: The Australian Commonwealth Games Association has announced the Australian men’s and women’s hockey teams nominated by Hockey Australia for the Commonwealth Games, which begin next month in Glasgow. Both teams are looking to defend the titles won four years ago.

Perry Crosswhite, Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO, said, "Hockey has been one of our most successful sports since it came onto the program in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, the men winning all four gold medals and the women three gold and one bronze.

"The sport enjoyed great results at its recent World Cup. Despite some changes after that success, our expectations remain high for both the men's and women's teams."

For many of the athletes selected, Glasgow 2014 will provide a first taste of the Commonwealth Games with nine men and eight women in the two squads of 16 set to compete at their first Commonwealth Games.

Trish Heberle, Hockey Australia High Performance Director, said, “The Commonwealth Games is a benchmark event and we have set high targets around achieving gold medals with our men’s and women’s teams.

“For those athletes and coaches selected it’s a tremendous honour to be part of a larger Australian team comprising multiple sports and I know that they will feel enormous pride when representing Australia on this global stage.

“As always, nominating our squads has involved difficult decisions. The men’s group is a mix of experienced leadership and fresh young legs with several athletes coming in who were unfortunate to miss out on World Cup selection earlier in the year. For our women’s squad the Commonwealth Games represents a great opportunity to consolidate the excellent progress made in the past 18 months and continue the journey, building on the confidence that the World Cup silver medal has delivered.

“We’re very grateful for the invaluable support that Hockey Australia receives from the Australian Commonwealth Games Association in helping to prepare our athletes at senior and junior levels.”

Mark Knowles leads a team that contains 12 of the World Cup winning side that triumphed in The Hague recently with Australian junior captain Daniel Beale from Queensland, Western Australian Trent Mitton, Victorian Andrew Philpott and New South Wales’ Tristan White the four new faces.

Knowles competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2010 tournament in New Delhi while Chris Ciriello, Fergus Kavanagh, Trent Mitton, Eddie Ockenden, Simon Orchard and Matthew Swann were also part of the side that beat India 8-0 in the 2010 final.

Northern Territory youngster Jeremy Hayward, 21, is selected having made his senior international debut in March and after being named Young Player of the Tournament at the World Cup. Beale, Andrew Charter, Matthew Gohdes, Kieran Govers, Philpott, Jake Whetton, White and Aran Zalewski will all compete in their first Commonwealth Games.

Graham Reid and Paul Gaudoin have been appointed joint Head Coaches for the men’s team at the Commonwealth Games following Ric Charlesworth’s decision to finish his commitments with the team prior to the Games.

Cam Vale, Hockey Australia Chief Executive, said, “Both Graham and Paul have worked under Ric over the last five years and, alongside Assistant Coach Ben Bishop, have been an integral part of the team’s achievements, whilst also coaching in their own right in the last 12 months at the Oceania Cup and Junior World Cup respectively. With a short turnaround between the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games this approach is the one that will give us the best chance of maximising our chances of success in Glasgow.”

Women’s captain Madonna Blyth is also set to compete at her third Commonwealth Games having won gold at the 2006 and 2010 tournaments. She leads a team containing 15 of the side that recently won the silver medal at the World Cup.

21 year-old NT forward Brooke Peris is one of those set to make her Commonwealth Games debut and is the one addition to the World Cup group. Peris is the cousin of Senator Nova Peris-Kneebone who won two gold medals in athletics at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur and an Olympic gold medal for hockey at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

Eight of their teammates were part of the side that beat New Zealand on penalties four years ago to clinch gold. Alongside Blyth, Casey Eastham, Anna Flanagan, Kate Jenner, Rachael Lynch, Georgia Nanscawen, Ashleigh Nelson and Jayde Taylor all featured in the 2-2 draw with Nelson scoring in the match.

Australia’s coaching teams also have strong Commonwealth Games history with women’s Head Coach Adam Commens and his assistants Jason Duff and Mark Hickman having won the gold medal at the inaugural hockey tournament in 1998 while playing alongside men’s coach Paul Gaudoin. Hickman and Gaudoin also won the gold medal in 2002.

Australian men’s hockey team for the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014Athlete (Hometown) Commonwealth Games history

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